


with the sunset as our backdrop

by survivalinstinctvalkyria



Category: Ensemble Stars! (Video Game)
Genre: I Tried, M/M, My titles are getting progressively worse, also I have no idea how to summarize this, idk - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-03
Updated: 2018-07-03
Packaged: 2019-06-01 18:52:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,817
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15149624
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/survivalinstinctvalkyria/pseuds/survivalinstinctvalkyria
Summary: As they walk side-by-side with the purplish hues of the sunset wafting over them like the scent of the sea that roars at their feet, Natsume can't help but find fault in Tsumugi yet again.





	with the sunset as our backdrop

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally meant to be really subtle and nice, but hands decided to go somewhere else. I hope it's decent.
> 
> I don't know if I wrote Natsume's vocal quirk correctly, or if I characterised them well, but it doesn't really matter now.

Everything Natsume sees is dyed in the purple hues of the sunset—from the metal railing at his side, to the display window’s of the stores the pair examine in passing, to the flickers of light and color that flit across the ocean’s surface, all of it becomes more unified, more comforting in a way, as a wash of hues passes over the scene and leaves its mark.

 _Senpai’s glasses, toO,_ Natsume thinks, stealing a secret glance at his senior. All of him is dyed in a muted purple, and he seems oddly at peace. Tsumugi catches Natume in the act of staring, and smiles at him.

“Something wrong?” he asks, through a _practiced_ , friendly smile. His glasses slip down lower onto his nose by a bit, and when Tsumugi's content facade is broken as a slight scowl of annoyance overtakes him, Natsume scoffs in amusement internally.

“Nothing's wrong, SenPAI. Don't go trying to mother othERS,” Natsume tells him, before remembering that that will only prompt Tsumugi to press further into why Natsume was staring at him. While Tsumugi is busy repositioning his glasses, Natsume jabs in him the rib with his elbow. “And stop prodding into my busiNESS.”

An exaggerated cry escapes Tsumugi's lips, and he whines to his junior in jest. “It's natural for a senior to want to look after their juniors, though? And I don't want you to be troubled by something I did and then get mad at me out of nowhere—although, knowing Natsume-kun, that's bound to happen whether or not I do something to cause it, right?”

“Maybe if you weren't so troublesome, I wouldn't need to hit yOU,” Natume replies icely. Before Tsumugi can retort or complain, Natsume continues. “Anyway, why did you drag me out here after pracTICE? I'm not someone who has the kind of time to waste with just about anyONE.”

Tsumugi nods thoughtfully, although Natsume inwardly doubts that Tsumugi actually cares that he's complaining. “You haven't been as mean lately, Natsume-kun. I got worried that you were tired or troubled, so I thought I'd take you on a walk.”

Natsume scoffs at his logic. “Shouldn't you be relishing the fact that I'm having mercy on yOU? And besides, what would a walk with you, of all people, do to change anytHING?”

“I was wondering if you'd go back to normal, or if you'd do something completely unexpected. Telling you upright would probably have upset you, so I didn't want to be to outright about it—but, oh well, I should've realised you'd get mad at either way.”

“Quit bad-mouthing me, idIOT,” Natsume huffs. “You must be either delusional or masochistic, nothing's chanGED.”

Tsumugi hums, unconvinced. “If you say so, Natsume-kun.”

They fall into a, more or less, comfortable silence. Tsumugi hums under his breath, probably subconsciously, and Natsume puts up with it. Tsumugi's voice truly does for the nickname that Emperor gave to him. What was it, exactly? Ah, that's right, something along the lines of _'my bluebird of happiness.’_ The lilt of Tsumugi's voice certainly does recall a bluebird chirping cheerfully at the break of dawn. When Natsume thinks of how hearing a bluebird chirping loudly during the otherwise peaceful, quaint serenity of the sunrise is really annoying, he snickers to himself. Although, there is a certain tranquility to—even during that morning daze that leaves one’s senses clouded and unable to function to their full extent—be able to recognize the distinct chirping of a bird during those fleeting hours.

Natsume hears a crinkling sound beside him, and looks to Tsumugi suspiciously.

“Ah, Natsume-kun, here,” Tsumugi says, and Natsume turns his gaze to his senior. “I- You like these kinds of candies, right?” Gingerly, he pulls his hand out of his pocket, and opens his fist to reveal the packet of brightly-colored candies. “I thought I'd get you a present.”

Natsume takes them hesitantly. His fingers brush against Tsumugi’s palm slightly, and an electric pulse surges through him, the same way water ripples from a stone is thrown into it. But the disruption isn't unwanted, necessarily; he's never admit it, but Natsume finds a certain comfort in the flash of warmth that the little bursts of lightning through his pulse bring.

Tsumugi must feel it too, because his hand tenses under Natsume's, and his fingers subconsciously curl up back into a fist. Pretending to pay no mind towards it, Natsume simply pulls his hand away.

Upon further inspection, the brightly-colored candies are reminiscent of something he's watched a certain class representative eat often.

“KonpeITO?” It's more of an observation, not really a question, but Tsumugi still answers.

“Mhm. I saw you and one of your classmates sharing some so I thought you might like it,” he explains, lips curved into a relaxed smile.

“With Hokke-kUN? That guy _lives_ off of this stUFF,” Natsume grumbles. “Why were you by my classroom, anywAY?”

Tsumugi fumbles over his words before responding. “I went to see you about the outfits I was making. You were talking to someone, though, so I left.”

“That's stupID,” Natsume says abruptly. Tsumugi glances at him in surprise.

“Eh?”

“I mean, if you bothered to come, don't just leAVE. It's not like it was entirely pointless if it was about unit costUMES,” he tells Tsumugi, brows furrowed into a slight pout. He tears at the bag, and sprinkles some of the candy onto his hand.

“Oh? Well, you were talking to someone from your class, so it's not like you'd want to be interrupted, right? I mean, you always seem reluctant to be around me, so there's no way you'd be happy with me coming in and barging in on your conversation.”

_Natsume sticks the handful of konpeito into his mouth, and bites down on it strong. His senses are overflowed with ‘sweet, sweet, sweet’, and it's almost too much—_

“But I said it's okAY,” Natsume says, and his voice holds a wistful edge.

“Even if you say that…” Tsumugi trails off, and Natsume would hit him if his hands weren't occupied. “Natsume-kun’s a sweet child at heart. Even someone like me—ugly, rotten, _worthless_ — still is going to receive a hint of kindness from you if they stick around long enough. I don't think it's very kind of me to bother you when I'm unwanted.”

_—And in those words, Natsume feels that same underlying sense of 'sweet, too sweet, far too sweet’, and he realizes why he hates it so much._

“Why am I never enough to make you smile?” He asks abruptly, words lacking their characteristic infliction, and even though their point is to cause discomfort, it's their lack of a presence that makes Tsumugi flinch.

“What do you mean by that?” Tsumugi replies tentatively, as if he's afraid of the answer.

“Switch is a unit that spreads smiles. I created Switch for myself, and for Sora. You understand that perfectly. Then why… don't you also understand that I created Switch for you?” Words spill out faster than Natsume can filter them, but he doesn't care. “Whenever I try to do something even remotely nice to you, it all circles back you not deserving it—to you be worthless.

“That's awful, you know. Because I look at you, and I see someone who's made mistakes, who's served others faithfully, who's been betrayed, who's destroyed others, who's, even slightly, repented for their wrongdoings. And yet, if I ever try it expressing that, you filter it all down to the same word: _worthless._ That's awful of you, Senpai.”

Tsumugi tenses beside him in a shocked silence, eyes wide, startled. He goes to open his mouth, but Natsume interrupts him.

“There you go again. Your blindness, it goes beyond sight, you know. I've tried every spell, _everything,_ to cure your ailments, but nothing's changed. No matter how hard I try, you're immune to my magic.”

“I've been under your spell since the day we met Natsume-kun.”

Natsume bites his lip in surprise, and scowls. Tsumugi must interpret this to be a reply, because he starts speaking again with a sad smile.

“I've never amounted to anything more than a side character. I'm the useless tool that's thrown away at the end of the chapter. But you, you're the protagonist! You face trial after trial, but still return with the same spite to fight for what you believe in! That's amazing, Natsume-kun!

“But I want to come interrupt your story. I want to become imprinted within every page—every line—of your story. I want to always be there no matter the situation. But if a useless side character like me were to do that, it would dull your story, Natsume-kun. I'd never forgive myself if I did something like that.”

Natsume’s fist curls tighter, and painful imprints of pink half-moons are engraved into his flesh. He grits his teeth, but he can't find words aggressive enough to be spoken through them.

“I- What if I want you to be a part of the story? What if want you to become an absolutely necessary plotline in my story? What do you say to that?” He asks, and his steps stop. An expectant gaze falls over his features, and Tsumugi turns a one-eighty so that's he's facing in front of Natsume.

“... How do you suppose I go about that?” It's hardly above a whisper, and Natsume hardly hears it over the churning of the sea below them, although it's nothing compared to the volume of his heart’s enraged hammering within his chest.

“Those scenes you read about in your novels when two characters’ plotlines overlap permanently, try and replicate that, Senpai.”

Tsumugi stares at him a trance for a moment, his hand subconsciously reaching out for Natsume. He blinks, once, twice, and third time, before his hand finds its place on Natsume's cheek. Natsume can't say he wasn't expecting this, but the sudden contact makes him flinch. Tsumugi doesn't pull back instantly, but concern does play out over his features, and his hand pulls back slightly to hover over Natsume's cheek.

“Is this really okay?” he asks.

Natsume lets out a _tsk_ , leaning back into Tsumugi's touch. “You really are braindead; get on with it, already.”

Tsumugi nods, and presses his lips to Natsume's in a featherlight touch. Natsume's eyes flicker closed, and he leans up against Tsumugi, enjoying the simplicity of the gesture. When Tsumugi parts, his lips are curled up into a delicate smile, and Natsume can't help trying to mirror it.

“I love you, Natsume-kun.”

“I'm glad. You deserve to be loved by someone, and it's good that the feeling is mutual.”

Tsumugi laughs slightly—more of a chuckle than anything else—and Natsume feels safe. Veiled by the purplish hues of the sunset, he watches the street lights reflect off of Tsumugi's glasses and wonders if Tsumugi can see the passion that he's sure he can feel flit across his eyes.

**Author's Note:**

> Next is Mitsutomo fluff because I want to write something nice and warm without any complicated characterisation. I'm tired I can't do this.


End file.
